Anna reached over and snatched it back, giggling. "I'm fine! Just happy!" Something twitched at the back of her… a tail? She turned, and saw that a fox tail had sprouted. She giggled again.
Niall blushed slightly at her demeanor as well as her sudden transformation, unwilling to take the bottle back and eager to see what would happen next. "Anna, you seem more than happy…"
"Oh, gosh. You're drunk, Anna." Ceana suppressed a giggle. She put her arm around Anna and pulled her along to a blanket that had been laid out on the grass. "Sit." she ordered gently.
"I'm not!" she insisted. Anna stood instead, back straight, wobbling only slightly. "I'm perfectly fine and not slurring my words." Little ears and claws were slowly forming. She put both arms around her friends and sighed happily. "I think leaving Rome for some time was a great idea," she said.
(we were in Aberdeen? lol)
"Well, let's put you to bed then so you'll be ready for the rest of the journey tomorrow." Regardless of how warm Anna's embrace made him feel, he shrugged out of it and gently led her over to the tents.
Anna frowned, flicking her tail. Then, suddenly, her bones compressed and reformed, and she spun into a small red fox.
Ceana yelped and scooted back. She stared down at the little fox running around on the blanket. She picked it up and set it in her lap. "Oh, Anna."
"Aww, let me hold her!!" Niall cooed.
Anna sneezed, curling up in Ceana's lap and looking up at Niall with curious eyes. Her tail twitched.
"She's so cute!! I feel like I can just reach over and- Wait, did you two hear that?"
Anna froze, tilting her nose to the sky and sniffing. Her ears rotating, searching for sound. Seconds later, she hopped out of Ceana's lap and her fur bristled, and she bared her teeth, letting out a low growl.
"Prince Niall!! Get your friends and run!!"
A group of Roman soldiers sprinted into the bushes wielding spears and shields, and a small orange flicker in a nearby tree roared into flames before dropping down onto their camp. Niall didn't hesitate to grab Anna and Ceana and move away.
Ceana ran after Niall, lingering behind to keep Anna in front of her. "Are those lit arrows?" she cried to Niall over the chaos.
"I don't care! Quick, get under that bush!!" Niall shoevd Anna and Ceana in before entering, stooped low to avoid te thorn branches.
Anna crouched down low, ears perked. She stood as still as possible, sniffing the air. I knew this was a bad idea, she thought.
"It's the Highland Scots," Niall muttered. "Great. We've taken over for less than a year and this is how you pay us back. Thanks, guys, for being such good friends."
Ceana crouched in the bush next to Niall, glancing nervously through the leaves. "How violent are they?"
"Well, how should I know? It's not like they're my people. Daddy just wanted a redhead wife and boom, here I am. You two are the ones who should know these things, what with being Highland Scots." Niall groaned in exasperation. "That sounded really racist, sorry. We need to get out of here. If they're attacking here, they've already attacked the towne, so our best bet is to continue to either Rome or Athens. If my dad is… You know, captured or… the other option, his men need to know."
Ceana looked at Niall indignantly. "One group of people doesn't define them all." she protested. Then the rest of the sentence sunk in, and her face fell. She nodded. "OK."
Anna's earlier euphoria had left her. She resumed her natural human form, a glare on her face with a bit of nervousness hinted in her expression. "Didn't I tell you guys this was a bad idea?" She said.
Niall peeked out at the waging battle warily, and, seeing his favourite soldier, Paul, crawling low to the ground towards a chariot, he cried out in mock pain. The soldier turned his head. "Niall?"
"Over here."
"No! Don't leave!" The soldier replied. "Head South and avoid the road. I'll meet you in Edinburgh. If I'm not there in three days, leave. Same with you." He ducked into the underbrush and just like that was gone.
"Anyone up for a quick detour?"
Anna paused, seeming uncomfortable. "…Niall?" she started slowly, nervousness in her voice.
Ceana stared past the bush at the battle raging in front of them. "I've never been in a battle before." she whispered.
Niall?" Anna asked nervously, and Ceana turned around to look at her.
"Ceana…" Anna continued. "I've… never been in a fight before. And I don't know how to defend myself, nobody ever taught me." She stepped back timidly, looking down. "Maybe it's best if I just stay here, and you guys go so that I don't get it your way."
"No, you're coming. We'll protect you." Niall was on the verge of growling at this point. (bye guys)
"No," Anna protested, stepping further away. "I'll just slow you guys down."
"Anna, there is no way in hell we're leaving you behind. I'll piggy-back you out of here if I have to." Ceana said seriously.
(I'll be on a few times again tonight and tmr morning but I'm gone for a week after that. You guys can act as Ceana while I'm gone, or just drag her around)
(We'll just drag you around lol, I don't want to take over your character)
"No, you guys would be safer if I just stayed behind."
(idm at all if you take her over temporarily)
Ceana looked at her friend angrily. "Anna, stop it! We're not going anywhere unless you're with us. Don't fight!"
